Texas has electricity consumption of $24 billion a year, the highest among the U.S. states. Its annual consumption is comparable to that of Great Britain and Spain, and if the state were an independent nation, its electricity market would be the 11th largest in the world. Texas produces the most wind electricity in the U.S., but also has the highest Carbon Dioxide Emissions of any state.[4] As of 2012, Texas residential electricity rates ranked 31st in the United States and average monthly residential electric bills in Texas were the 5th highest in the nation.[5]
Prepaid electric, or “pay as you go electricity” is a affordable choice for people with short term living arrangements as well as those wanting to eliminate light bills and need their lights on the same day. Prepaid electricity in Texas is rapidly growing in popularity. Thanks to smartphone apps, Texas college students are choosing to prepay for a fast, easy connection and payment. With smart meter technology, homeowners and renters can easily monitor, regulate and conserve their usage which saves money. Quick Electricity has energy plans to suit the customer preparing for an upcoming move, serving in the military, looking for green energy solutions, or simply wanting to take it month-to-month with no deposit. Don’t fit any of those molds? We can set you up to build your own energy plan!
1Offer valid for new residential customers in Texas only. Provisioned smart meter required. Free power begins on Fridays at 6:00 PM and ends Sunday at 11:59 PM. To utilize all features of the Echo Dot, you will need an 'always on' Wi-Fi internet service. If you cancel your plan early there's a fee of $135. You cannot return your Echo Dot to avoid the early cancellation fee. Terms and Conditions apply. All Amazon trademarks and copyrights are property of Amazon.com or its affiliates. The Echo Dot is provided by Direct Energy, Amazon is not a sponsor of this energy plan offer.
Prepaid electric, or “pay as you go electricity” is a affordable choice for people with short term living arrangements as well as those wanting to eliminate light bills and need their lights on the same day. Prepaid electricity in Texas is rapidly growing in popularity. Thanks to smartphone apps, Texas college students are choosing to prepay for a fast, easy connection and payment. With smart meter technology, homeowners and renters can easily monitor, regulate and conserve their usage which saves money. Quick Electricity has energy plans to suit the customer preparing for an upcoming move, serving in the military, looking for green energy solutions, or simply wanting to take it month-to-month with no deposit. Don’t fit any of those molds? We can set you up to build your own energy plan!
Not only does it show customers the real rates at different usage levels but it reflects both the rate jumps in a plan at certain usage. It also shows whether the rate is high or low compared to general electricity market pricing. By doing all the calculations for the customer, Texas Electricity Ratings' Rate Analyzer can show customers what their best energy options are when they shop for Texas electricity no matter what TDU area they are in. Customers can see how much they can really expect to pay each month for their usage.
The price to beat seemed to accomplish its goal of attracting competitors to the market during the period through January 1, 2007. It allowed competitors to enter the market without allowing the incumbents to undercut them in price. It has also given energy consumers the ability to compare energy rates offered by different providers. The less-regulated providers undercut the price to beat by only a small margin given that they must balance lower prices (to attract customers and build market share) with higher prices (needed to reinvest in new power plants). Due to the small difference in competing prices and slow (yearly or so) "buying" process, price decrease due to competition was very slow, and it took a few years to offset the original increase by "traditional" electric providers and move to lower rates.
If your monthly use hovers around the 2,000 kWh mark, you’ll be spending around $2,000 per year on electricity bills no matter which REP you choose. With that level of investment, you may be tempted by an offer to get something extra in return — like rewards. Direct Energy is notable because it’s a part of American Express’s Plenti rewards program. For every dollar you spend on your Direct Energy plan, you earn a “Plenti point,” which you can then redeem on purchases with retail partners like Macy’s, AT&T, and Exxon.
According to a typical economic theory, prices are optimally determined in a fair and transparent market, and not by a political or academic body. In deregulation of electricity markets, one immediate concern with pricing is that incumbent electricity providers would undercut the prices of new entrants, preventing competition and perpetuating the existing monopoly of providers. Thus, the SB7 bill introduced a phase-in period during which a price floor would be established (for incumbent electricity companies) to prevent this predatory practice, allowing new market entrants to become established. New market entrants could charge a price below the price to beat, but incumbents could not. This period was to last from 2002 to January 1, 2007. As of 2007 Texas investor owned utility affiliates no longer have price to beat tariffs.[6]
The complaints filed against providers aren't a perfect mirror of the J.D. Power customer satisfactions scores. Just Energy, which earned only two J.D. Power Circles and earned the second-lowest score, had only 21 complaints recorded with the Public Utility Commission. But it's helpful to view these complaints in aggregate: Over 50 percent of the 1,119 total complaints fall under "billing" — another reason to seek out a provider with high customer satisfaction in that area in particular.
Variable-rate plan:A variable-rate plan means the rate you pay for your electricity may fluctuate based on the market price of energy. Energy price depends on many factors, like weather, demand, fuel prices, the distribution system and the market. Variable-rate plans are flexible because you are not locked into a contract; however, you’ll pay a higher price in high-demand seasons like summer. A variable-rate plan might be ideal for you if you like to shop around and keep an eye on prices.
Electricity deregulation in Texas began in 2002 with the Texas Senate Bill 7, which mandated that deregulation be phased into the state over the next several years. Except for the Cities of Austin and San Antonio, the entire state of Texas is now deregulated – meaning that electricity customers can shop around for the supply side of their electricity charges.
Just like most of all the items you buy, you need to carefully choose the right electricity plan that is best suited for yourself and/or your family. Consider the amount of energy you currently consume, usage behavior and what electric rate will save you the most money. Some electricity plans have maximum or minimum electric usage restrictions. Others offer free electricity during certain hours or days of the week, such as; free weekends electricity or free nights electricity plans. No deposit and no credit check electricity is also available for those with low credit scores.

Texas Electricity Rating advocates for consumers and evaluates providers in the Texas electricity market for features and characteristics that typical energy customers may miss, such as high deposits, variable rates, incentives, "free" plans, and minimum usage plans. Our mission is to help consumers find the best electricity providers to fit their individual needs, as well as educate customers about potential marketplace pitfalls.

Variable-rate supply plans, as the name suggests, have a rate that varies based on the market price of electricity. Seasonal and market fluctuations can affect supply rates. While variable-rate supply plans can allow you to take advantage of market-price lows, there is the possibility of paying for high supply rates when demand is at its peak. These plans offer great flexibility.